Brittany Murphy

Versatile actress Brittany Murphy easily segued from mainstream comedies to gritty indie dramas, but unfortunately audiences were never able to see the full range of her talents, due to her untimely d...
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Do you love movies? I mean, do you love movies so much, you talk in movie quotes 24/7? Us too. Here’s some help sorting out quotes for different moments in your life.
When you’re short on money:
GIPHY/Universal Pictures
When you don’t feel like going outside:
GIPHY
When someone you don’t really like wants to make plans:
GIPHY/Warner Bros.
When someone is taking way too long to get to the point:
GIPHY/Universal Pictures
When someone is being a pain in your ass:
GIPHY/Universal Pictures
Or if they’re being really dumb:
GIPHY/Warner Bros.
When you need to validate yourself:
GIPHY/DreamWorks Pictures
When people act like they know what they’re talking about, but really, really don’t:
GIPHY
GIPHY
When people don't seem to understand what you're saying:
GIPHY/Paramount Pictures
When you need to pay someone a compliment:
GIPHY
When you’re in the mood to relive the 90's and/or miss Brittany Murphy:
GIPHY/Paramount Pictures
When you want to thank someone for loving you for being you:
GIPHY/Buena Vista Pictures
When you're questioning your relationship status:
GIPHY/Universal Pictures
When your husband pisses you off, then asks what you want:
GIPHY/Buena Vista Pictures
When someone asks you if you forgot something:
GIPHY
When someone shows up late to your plans:
GIPHY/New Line Cinema
When someone from work tries to talk to after 6 on a Friday:
GIPHY/Warner Bros.
When someone younger than you says something very stupid:
GIPHY/Paramount Pictures
When you kick schools ass:
GIPHY/Universal Pictures
When someone says it’s raining pretty bad outside:
GIPHY/Columbia Pictures
When the Starbucks barista asks for your name:
GIPHY/Columbia Pictures
When you need to express how mad you are:
GIPHY
When that's too nice:
GIPHY
When someone tries to tell you that you were being too sensitive:
rachelhaleee.tumblr.com/Buena Vista Pictures
When someone asks you what your weekend plans are:
GIPHY/Warner Bros.
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Brittany Murphy's father has blasted executives at America's Lifetime network for moving forward with a new movie about his late daughter's life and casting an actress who looks nothing like her. Angelo Bertolotti admits he is "disgusted and outraged" by the unauthorised biopic, The Brittany Murphy Story, calling the project "trashy" and accusing TV bosses of "defiling the memory of my beautiful, talented daughter".
He rages, "Frankly, I am amazed at their audacity of calling it 'a true story' without conducting any research or consulting with any members of the family. The Brittany Murphy Story is an affront to everything my daughter was in real life. It's hideous, unauthorised and completely untrue."
And he tells The Examiner that he's baffled by the casting of Amanda Fuller, the actress who will portray Murphy in the TV film.
He adds, "Lifetime's casting was atrocious. Amanda Fuller... looks absolutely nothing like her. Everyone looks ridiculous in their bad wigs and the dialogue is nauseating."
And Bertolotti is also taking issue with the film's alleged inaccuracies, stating, "To suggest that I was never in Brittany's life since the age of two is absolutely despicable. I was always a part of Brittany's life and supported both her and her mother."
Murphy died in 2009.

A TV movie recounting the life of late actress Brittany Murphy will air in the U.S. in September (14). The Clueless star died from pneumonia, anaemia and excessive use of prescription medications in 2009, aged 32.
Bosses at Lifetime TV network announced on Tuesday (12Aug14) they are working on the first scripted feature project about the actress and have cast Amanda Fuller, who stars in sitcom Last Man Standing, in the lead role.
Twin Peaks actress Sherilyn Fenn will play Murphy's mother Sharon.
The two-hour movie will follow the Sin City star's life from her pursuit of an acting career in the 1980s to her death and its aftermath.
A spokesperson for Sharon Murphy says she has not been consulted about the movie and is not affiliated with it in any way.
The biopic, titled The Brittany Murphy Story, will air on 6 September (14).

Paramount via Everett Collection
We all know the saying about how you can't pick your relatives but you can pick your friends. Unfortunately, in high school, most people are limited to those other poor souls that are slouching through the halls to get from class to class.
Every teen movie made has seemingly adhered to some form of the cliques that occur in high school, those groupings based on looks, interests or intelligence that make up the social caste system. What if, however, you could make your own clique, using characters from those films that fit into those stereotypical profiles? It would certainly have made for a more entertaining high school experience, as well as at least one killer party. Who would we pick? Here's our choices...
VIEW GALLERY: The Ultimate Teen Movie High School Clique
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Dimension Films
Nine years isn’t such a gap in comparison to the time it took to make prequels like Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, and Prometheus, but it still feels like we've been waiting forever for a Sin City sequel. The first film shocked audiences with a cutting edge cinematic style and a sexy, violent trip through a beloved comic franchise. This prequel has suffered some major losses to the cast and a general loss of buzz from the original. So we're wondering if waiting a decade has actually harmed the upcoming new movie.
First off, casting. Sadly, Brittany Murphy and Michael Clarke Duncan have passed away since the release of Sin City. The lengthy delay in filming cost the film these actors and quite a few more. Dennis Haysbert will be taking over the golden-eyed role of Manute. But can he play a convincing villain if his voice makes people want to double check their insurance rates? Devon Aoki’s model good looks and silent intensity were immortalized in the character of Miho. She’s been replaced by former Real World star Jamie Chung. Chung has been action-ish in Sucker Punch and Once Upon a Time , but she also starred in the utterly horrible Dragonball: Evolution. Eva Green plays the highly coveted role of Ava Lord. She’s not the worst choice but is a bit of a downgrade considering Angelina Jolie or Scarlett Johansson could have had the role. Finally, Michael Madsen has been replaced by Ari Gold himself, Jeremy Piven.
Additionally, the buzz may have all but faded. Die hard Frank Miller fans will come out for the film regardless of the questionable casting and the long delay. However, a lot of the major excitement riding off the first movie has dissipated. Sin City was monumental, but films that have come since and borrowed the same ilk, like Watchmen and Sucker Punch, have done poorly in theaters. In the last nine years, stars like Jessica Alba, Mickey Rourke, and Rosario Dawson have lost a lot of their A-list appeal, lowering their grade to the likes of Good Luck Chuck, Iron Man 2, and The Zookeeper respectively.
The casting may be less exciting than the original but Joseph Gordon-Levitt has joined the cast. A Dame to Kill For is also one of the most exciting and intricate stories of the comic book franchise. It’s also the entire driving force behind Clive Owen’s character in the original film. Only time will tell if the film will be as great as the original. However, the geek appeal will definitely draw some butts to seats.
Has nine years left you indifferent or dying to see the sequel?
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Brittany Murphy's final film Something Wicked finally has a release date four years after her death. The Clueless star passed away in 2009 and her final project will debut on 4 April (14) at the Regal Theater in Eugene, Oregon, the city where the movie was filmed.
Something Wicked is described as a "hauntingly seductive thriller about obsession and young love gone wrong," and Murphy appeared opposite One Tree Hill's Shantel VanSanten and Lords of Dogtown actor John Robinson.
The movie is slated to open in more theatres across the U.S. shortly after the premiere.
In 2011, Something Wicked producer and screenwriter Joe Colleran praised Murphy's final role, telling USA Today, "Brittany pulled off one of the spookiest scenes in the movie. There's an important scene where her character is unravelling and she spent a long time getting ready and focused and went for it. Personally, I think it's one of the best scenes of her career."
Murphy died at the age of 32 from pneumonia, anaemia and excessive use of prescription medications.

Goran Sivacki / WENN
It can be hard to take an actor seriously when he or she decides to switch gears and become a musician. Even the Real Housewives have opted to release songs available exclusively on iTunes. However, every so often, an actor or celebrity will shock you with their ability to hold a tune or at least produce a booty-shaking song.
Juliette Lewis
This August: Osage County star has been acting since she was a child. However, in 2003 she formed the band Julliette &amp; the Licks and proved that she also had music in her soul. The band captured '70s rock, '80s punk, and '90s alternative into a neat little package. The band broke up in 2009, but Lewis went on to released an additional solo album. Although her fame comes primarily from her roles in films like Natural Born Killers, Lewis has proven herself a part of rock music with multiple successful tours and albums.
Brittany Murphy
Murphy was a gifted actress who we'll always remember for films like Clueless, 8 Mile, and Sin City, but she tried her had at a few forays into music as well. Murphy sang vocals on Paul Oakenfold’s “Faster Kill Pussycat,” which became an international dance hit. She also sang some songs on the Happy Feet, soundtrack including Queen’s “Somebody to Love” and Earth, Wind &amp; Fire’s “Boogie Wonderland.” There’s no telling that had Murphy had the chance she would have released her own album and found success in the world of music.
Rose McGowan
McGowan is not the first person you’d think about when you think of music, though she did have a short engagement to Marilyn Manson. However, she has released a few songs. She provided vocals for the dance song “Superfabulous” by BT. She also sang in an episode of Charmed and a few songs for the Planet Terror soundtrack. Like her Bettie Page looks, her throaty soft voice is a throwback to days past.
Leighton Meester
Meester ruled television as teen fashion icon Blair Waldorf on Gossip Girl. However, she has the potential to rule the music charts too. Although she hasn’t released her own album she has produced some pretty amazing songs. She sang “Somebody to Love” with a pre-“Blurred Lines” Robin Thicke. She also sang on the Cobra Starship song “Good Girls Go Bad.” She also sang her own songs for the film Country Strong.
Kelly Osbourne
Before Osbourne became the fashion icon on Fashion Police and after her punky album Shut Up, Osbourne released Sleeping in the Nothing. It offered a more thoughtful, and on-trend electroclash style. She proved herself to be a viable musician with the song “One Word.”
Tyra Banks
Banks’ attempts at acting and television hosting may be questionable. However, in Season 2 of America’s Next Top Model she premiered a song that was so painfully catchy that it’s a wonder that she never released an album. Seriously... Tyra lasted painfully long but her music career lasted just one episode. As you can see, her singing voice is way better than her ability to ask serious questions.
Tatyana Ali
Ali made a name for herself as the plucky daughter Ashley on Fresh Prince of Bel Air. She shattered her child star image with a run as a sexy R&amp;B singer. Her album Kiss the Sky has proven that she’s a legitimate R&amp;B songstress.
Katey Sagal
Sagal has had a ton of success on television with multiple successful series. Before her days as Peg Bundy, Sagal began her career as a singer and sang back-up for Bette Midler, Tanya Tucker, and Bob Dylan. She has also released two albums Well... and Room. She’s proven that not only does she have the golden touch with comedy, she has an amazing singing voice.
Jared Leto
Leto has found a ton of notoriety with Dallas Buyers Club. He has proven himself an actor and a heartrhob, but he’s also the face of his well known band 30 Seconds to Mars. The multi-talented figure has a rocking voice that had led his band to notable success.
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Actress Amber Tamblyn is releasing a poetry collection inspired by dead stars. Dark Sparkler will feature poems about Marilyn Monroe, Jayne Mansfield, Brittany Murphy and Sharon Tate, among others.
Publishers at Harper Perennial will release Tamblyn's third book of poetry, which also feature artwork by Marilyn Manson and her actor father Russ.

Tragic actor Paul Walker's remains have been claimed by his parents and transported to a local mortuary, according to a U.S. report. The Fast and the Furious star perished in a fiery car crash on 30 November (13) after the 2005 Porsche Carrera GT he was a passenger in slammed into a tree and exploded.
Walker's body had been at the L.A. County Coroner's Office during an investigation into his death, but the coroner has finished his report and released the movie star's remains to his family, so they can begin to plan his funeral, according to TMZ.com.
An autopsy report indicated the 40 year old died from traumatic and thermal injuries resulting from the accident.
Funeral plans have not been officially released, but Walker's representatives have revealed a "global tribute" will take place.
A message posted to Walker's Facebook.com page reads, "We've seen the most incredible outpouring of support from Paul Walker fans over the past week. To those who have attended the many tributes worldwide, posted heartfelt messages online, and supported his charity Reach Out Worldwide - we'd just like to say THANK YOU.
"Your gestures of love have meant so much. We promise to keep you updated via Paul's Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram."
Meanwhile, Walker will reportedly be laid to rest at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in California - the same cemetery where Michael Jackson, Brittany Murphy, John Ritter and Lucille Ball are buried.

FOX
Whenever a television show reaches its 100th episode, there's always some sort of special celebration. Well, Glee has decided to put all of those celebrations to shame with its 100th episode spectacular on March 18th. In addition to allowing the fans to choose their top 10 favorite Glee songs to be remixed and re-performed on the night - think of it as the Glee tribute episode to Glee - creator Ryan Murphy has confirmed that he invited all of the original cast members to return to the show, so that everyone can celebrate together. Among those confirmed to reprise their roles are Amber Riley, Mark Salling, Harry Shum Jr., Kristin Chenoweth, and Heather Morris, who left at the end of last season to have her son, Elijah.
Most notably, Dianna Agron, who played cheerleader Quinn Fabray, confirmed via Twitter that she would indeed be returning for the 100th episode, despite not appearing in the show's tribute episode to Cory Monteith. There have been rumors of bad blood between her and Murphy for some time now, and her absence from "The Quarterback" only seemed to fuel the fire. However, it seems that the two have managed to bury the hatchet in order to give the fans what they want, and to celebrate Glee.
Of course, this is Glee, so no matter how many original cast members or old school performances the show gets together, there's always the chance that things could go terribly wrong and the 100th episode spectacular could turn into a 100th episode train wreck. In order to give the writers a helping hand, we've come up with four things that the March 18th celebration should include, and 4 things that should be avoided at all costs.
DOs:
Focus on the "Originals"Glee currently juggles two separate shows: one in New York, with Rachel, Kurt and Santana, and one in Ohio with Mr. Shue and the McKinley High glee club, and the adventures in New York are always far more entertaining than anything going on back in Lima. This is partially because we are more familiar with Kurt, Rachel, and Santana and therefore more invested in what happens to them, but it's also partially because we've sat through so many of those Ohio plots before. Therefore, the best thing for the writers to do on the 100th episode is to focus on all of the original cast members, rather than attempting to shoehorn the new kids into the plots. It worked well for the Monteith tribute episode, so it should work just as well this time around. And be sure to let us all know just what everyone's up to now, and why they came back to McKinley in the first place. It seems obvious, but those are details that Glee tends to leave out.
Strip Back the PerformancesSure, it wouldn't be Glee without an over-the-top array of costumes, dancing, and numbers that would put even the most expensive Broadway show to shame. But some of the show's best moments occured when the songs were quieter, simpler, and made sense in terms of the story they were telling. Rachel's pilot performance of "On My Own" was a touching look into who the character was and what made her tick. Santana's use of Fleetwood Mac's "Songbird" to tell Brittany how she felt about her was both moving and memorable. Artie singing "Dream a Little Dream of Me" as he came to the realization that he would have to give up on his dreams was one of the most underappreciated numbers that Glee has ever featured, and one of its best, the Rachel/Quinn duet of West Side Story's "I Feel Pretty" and TLC's "Unpretty" is proof that sometimes less is more. Glee shouldn't be afraid ot go big for their 100th episode, but they should remember that their strengths often lie in their smaller moments.
Give Mercedes an Actual PlotThis one might just be a personal opinion, but it always seemed unfair that Mercedes never got a proper story arc to herself. Her leaving New Directions to form a new glee club was presented, resolved and forgotten about in only a few episodes, and the show spent much of that time painting her as the villain, rather than using it as a way to create a compelling story for an underused character. Similarly, her relationship with Sam was ignored and practically retconned, even though it was one of the most interesting plots the show has ever developed. So, Glee, why not put Sam and Mercedes back together for the 100th episode so fans can find out what really went on between them. Sam was never more interesting than he was with Mercedes, and it would be the perfect excuse to give her plenty of perfectly-sung diva numbers.
Bring Back MattWay back in Season 1, there was a character named Matt Rutherford, played by Dijon Talton. Despite being both a football player and a member of the glee club, Matt only spoke two lines over the entire season, and then disappeared without ever being mentioned again. There would be no character return that would excite the fans more than bringing back Matt for the 100th episode. Besides, everyone's dying to know where he went, why he left, and why nobody ever brought him up again. The characters may have forgotten Matt, but the fans never will.
DON'Ts:
Making It Schue-CentricWhen it comes to Glee, there is no character more universally reviled than the head of the glee club, Will Schuester. He's not only creepy towards his students and far too involved with their day-to-day lives, but he's also a terrible teacher. Remember how he used to be a Spanish teacher, but couldn't actually speak the language? Has he even stepped foot into an actual classroom since the first season? He not only had his students help him propose to Ms. Pillsbury, but he also had Finn be his best man. A move that should have been sweet just turned out weird. He even stole Finn's letterman jacket - that never belonged to him in the first place - from Santana while she was sleeping, and then blamed it on Puck. He's the worst. It's probably tempting to make Mr. Schue the focal point of the episode, for the narrative's sake, but it's better for all involved if he just stands in the background and occasionally writes a word on the whiteboard.
Too Much Singing, Not Enough Story Glee was originally intended to be a television show that featured musical numbers, then it became a televised musical, but now it's just an excuse to shoehorn in as many random songs and productions numbers as possible, without any regard to the story going on around them. We're not sure when the Glee writers forgot that songs do not magically make up for a lack of plot, but we sincerely hope that it's a lesson they remember when it comes time to write the 100th episode. Otherwise, it just becomes blatantly obvious that someone heard something on the radio and just decided to work it into an episode so that it would run a full 45 minutes.
Love Triangles on Love Triangles on Love TrianglesWe get it; love triangles are a super easy way to add conflict to a show. But Glee has featured so many that they've run out of every single possible combination. Seriously, there's been Will/Terri/Emma, Finn/Rachel/Quinn, Finn/Rachel/Jesse, Finn/Quinn/Sam, Sam/Mercedes/Mercedes' Football Boyfriend, Santana/Brittany/Artie, Artie/Tina/Mike, and Blaine/Kurt/Creepy Dalton Guy to name - literally - only a fraction. For the 100th episode, why not take a break from all of that romantic confusion and focus instead on the kids who made up the glee club, and the friendship that bonds them together. Or, if you prefer, have them all fight each other. Just make sure it's not over a romantic rival.
Anything Even Remotely Resembling This:
No offense to Jane Lynch, who is often one of the show's best elements, but everything about this was a terrible idea. This may be the worst performance the show has ever done. Watch it, learn from it, and never speak of it again.
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Primetime TV debut as Frank's sister in an episode of "Murphy Brown" (CBS)

Acted in the little-seen independents "Zach and Reba" and "Bongwater"

Appeared opposite Ray Liotta in "Phoenix"; film premiered on HBO before receiving a theatrical release; also featured Anthony LaPaglia

Co-starred with Anthony LaPaglia and Allison Janney in the Broadway revival of Arthur Miller's "A View From the Bridge"

Played recurring part of Sarah, a friend of the twins, in "Sister, Sister" (ABC)

Born and raised in New Jersey

Co-starred as a nanny to a bratty eight-year-old in "Uptown Girls"

At age 13, moved to Los Angeles

Starred in "Sin City" the adaptation of comic book icon Frank Miller's uber-noir series of grapic novels; co-directed by Miller and Robert Rodriguez

Summary

Versatile actress Brittany Murphy easily segued from mainstream comedies to gritty indie dramas, but unfortunately audiences were never able to see the full range of her talents, due to her untimely death at age 32. Murphy shot to stardom in the classic high school comedy "Clueless" (1995), where she elicited laughs and sympathy as the ugly-duckling-turned-swan buddy of onetime "it" girl Alicia Silverstone. The raspy voiced starlet, who spent over a decade as ditsy beautician Luanne on the animated Fox series "King of the Hill" (Fox, 1997-2009), worked her way up from supporting roles in films like "Riding in Cars with Boys" (2001) to leading lady status in the light comedies "Uptown Girls" (2003) and "Little Black Book" (2004), where she imbued her characters with a bit of a wild-child edge. But it was Murphy's darker roles that earned her the most critical attention, including her streetwise turn opposite rapper Eminem in "8 Mile" (2002) and her mad, unhinged characters in "Girl, Interrupted" (1999) and "Don't Say a Word" (2001). While Murphy's career was up and down, the underrated actress always brought a spark to the screen, and upon news of her early death, her peers came forward in droves to express disappointment at the loss of such a talented, vibrant personality.<p>Murphy was born Nov. 10, 1977, and raised in Edison, NJ by a single mother following her parents' divorce when she was a baby. Her father, who was involved with organized crime, later served time in federal prison for drug charges, but his daughter's life began full of promise and ambition. Murphy was dancing from the time she was a toddler, performing at age two, and was the star of a regional production of the musical "Really Rosie" at age nine. At age 13, Murphy convinced her mother to relocate to Los Angeles so she could launch a professional acting career, and the move paid off quickly when the teen landed the role of Dabney Coleman's daughter on the short-lived Fox sitcom, "Drexel's Class" (1991-92). She rebounded with a role on the sitcom "Almost Home" (ABC, 1993), and when that program only lasted 13 episodes, Murphy stayed on primetime with recurring appearances on "Blossom" (NBC, 1991-95) and "Sister, Sister" (ABC, 1994-95; The WB, 1995-99).<p>In "Clueless" (1995), Amy Heckerling's modern update of Jane Austen's <i>Emma</i>, Murphy kick-started her film career with her standout turn as the fashion-challenged transfer student from the East Coast whom Beverly Hills teen Cher (Alicia Silverstone) takes under her wing. Murphy proved her comic mettle in the instant classic high school comedy, but the film's success did not translate into overnight movie stardom for Murphy, who returned to television with a string of guest appearances and supporting roles in low budget features. In New York in 1997, Murphy won a fair share of critical praise for her role opposite Anthony LaPaglia in the award-winning Broadway revival of Arthur Miller's <i>A View From the Bridge</i>. In a display of real versatility, Murphy followed up her Broadway run by lending her trademark raspy voice to the character of sweet (but dim) Texas beautician Luanne on the Mike Judge and Greg Daniels long-running animated series, "King of the Hill" (1997-2009). Murphy's first major dramatic screen performance came the following year in "David and Lisa" (ABC, 1998), a TV movie produced under the "Oprah Winfrey Presents" banner. <p>Murphy next co-starred as an aspiring beauty pageant contestant in the mock documentary "Drop Dead Gorgeous" (1999) but offered a more memorable performance in James Mangold's adaptation of "Girl, Interrupted" (1999), starring as a suicidal teen fixated on rotisserie chicken. She followed up with skilled performances as vastly different characters, including a turn as a discharged naval officer suspected of being a lesbian in Showtime's anthology drama, "Common Ground" (Showtime, 2000), a performance as a charming barfly in Alan Rudolph's "Trixie" (2000), and a virginal teen targeted by a serial killer in the direct-to-video slasher picture, "Cherry Falls" (2000). Murphy's supporting role as the loveable town floozy in "Summer Catch" (2001) was one of the disappointing film's few high points, while she held her own in a challenging role as a disturbed young woman who holds a valuable secret in her damaged mind in the thriller "Don't Say a Word" (2001), in which her memorably creepy line "I'll never tell" featured in the ad campaign, boosted Murphy's profile at the box office. <p>Following an excellent featured role as a waitress in Edward Burns' romantic comedy "Sidewalks of New York" (2001), Murphy scored as another female sidekick, perfectly complementing Drew Barrymore in the inspiring comedy-drama "Riding in Cars With Boys" (2001). Her film career having endured its share of fits and starts, Murphy finally enjoyed a steady run of high profile roles beginning with Curtis Hanson's "8 Mile" (2002), loosely based upon the difficult early years of rapper Eminem, in which Murphy supported as a streetwise girlfriend who champions his talent. In another gritty drama, Murphy starred with Jason Schwartzman and Mickey Rourke in "Spun" (2002), Jonas Akerlund's grim, weekend-in-the-life-of amphetamine addicts indie. In a 180-degree genre shift, Murphy was cast along real-life boyfriend Ashton Kutcher in the cloying romantic comedy, "Just Married" (2003). However, while the film had strong box office appeal, the couple's relationship fizzled shortly after its release. Adding salt to Murphy's wounds, Kutcher fell in love with future wife Demi Moore only months later.<p>Meanwhile, Murphy was still holding down her regular voice-over role on "King of the Hill" even as her feature film image was slowly evolving from wild child character actress to sophisticated starlet. In her first outing as a full-blown leading lady, Murphy starred in the light comedy "Uptown Girls" (2003) as a rock star's hard-partying daughter who is forced to grow up when she becomes the caretaker of a wealthy, willful and ignored little girl (Dakota Fanning). That family-friendly success led to another headlining role for Murphy in "Little Black Book" (2004), in which she appeared as a talk show producer who makes some disturbing discoveries about her commitment-phobic boyfriend's romantic past after snooping into his PDA. She added an admirable, highly watchable spark to the otherwise leaden affair, while off-screen, her love life was in turmoil again when she called off her year-long engagement to talent manager Jeff Kwatinetz. Murphy returned to edgier indie fare with Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller's visually arresting adaptation of Miller's noir comic books, "Sin City" (2005). As Shellie, a strip club waitress with a soft spot for the wrong guys, Murphy's character helped tie the various story arcs together by appearing in multiple sequences; most notably in "The Big Fat Kill" where her character is terrorized by the corrupt Jackie Boy (Benicio del Toro) before being saved by the tough but noble Dwight (Clive Owen).<p>Edward Burns recruited Murphy again for his little-seen buddy comedy "The Groomsmen" in 2006, and the actress averted her own trip to the alter that year when she called off her engagement to film crewman Joe Macaluso. However she rebounded with the biggest box office success of her career then to date, "Happy Feet" (2007), lending her distinctive voice to the popular penguin tale that won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. The actress known for easily switching gears from commercial comedy to dark indie dramas followed up with the title role in "The Dead Girl" (2007), a nominee for an Independent Spirit Award for Best Film that traced the lives of seemingly unrelated people who are connected through a murder. Murphy married British writer Simon Monjack the same year, and appeared in one more family film, "Neverwas" (2007), a direct-to-video release about an aging children's author who is so delusional he believes he has become one of his fictional characters. <p>In 2009, Murphy starred in "The Ramen Girl" (2009), a direct-to-video feature about an American girl who moves to Tokyo and after enduring heartbreak, dedicates herself to learning the Japanese art of cooking ramen. In a return to the small screen, Murphy starred in two made-for-TV movies; Nora Roberts-based "Tribute" (Lifetime, 2009) and the Sci Fi Channel disaster flick "Megafault" (2009). Just weeks after Murphy's starring role in the supernatural thriller "Deadline" (2009) was released direct to DVD, Murphy was found dead. On Dec. 20, 2009, an ambulance was called to the Beverly Hills home of Murphy and husband Monjack after the actress collapsed. She was declared dead from cardiac arrest later at Cedars-Sinai hospital, though fans anxiously awaited results of her autopsy and toxicology reports for more answers as to why the 32-year-old's heart failed. In the months leading up her death, Murphy had reportedly been fired from the horror film "The Caller" (2010), while the production crew of a second horror film, "Something Wicked" (2010), suspected drug use after observing the actress dazed and unprofessional. Others were concerned over the actress' recent and severe loss of weight. In February 2010, the Los Angeles County Coroner's office released cause of death, citing community-acquired pneumonia as the primary cause, but that iron deficiency anemia and prescription drugs/"multiple drug intoxication" had also played a role.

Secretly wed at their home in Los Angeles on May 2007; died May 23, 2010 in same house as Murphy five months prior

Sharon Murphy

Mother

Irish American and Eastern European descent; divorced Brittany's father when she was a baby

Education

Name

Herbert Hoover School

Verne Fowler School of Dance

John Burroughs High School

Valley Professional School

Notes

"I would never have this career without my mom! I would have ended up fleeing New Jersey and moving to New York City. I upped and moved HER, and she was willing to support me. No one can ever say anything bad about my mom. She's amazing." - Brittany Murphy quoted in Daily News, May 10, 1998

"Hey, right now, I'm in the college of life. I'm only 21 and I don't know who the heck I am yet. We're all just molecules. Anyway, the movie industry's a great boot camp, you learn so much, going from one country to another, one story to another. I relish the absurdity." - Murphy to Movieline, May 1999

"What is typical? I don't really ever want to go in that direction, but I don't have a game plan either. I know that I get a kick out of playing people who are different. When I read something, I go on my instincts. It just feels right. That's how it's been and I love being these people. I've been a waitress. I've been a rock star. I've had a grain of salt's experience at being in the Holocaust. I get to travel all over the place. Most people don't get the chance to do what they have a passion for. It's an amazing job. I'm very blessed. The major thing was that I started when I was 13, and I wanted to do this so bad. When I came to L.A., the words 'logistics' or 'competition' meant nothing to me. I went through it with blinders on and never thought of the other things that I've seen cloud other people's minds. A lot of times those things get in the way." - Murphy quoted in Flaunt, June/July 2000

"I'm not a cerebral actor, I'm visceral. When I read a script, the character will come from the page, into my hand, into my arm, and then into my body. All of a sudden, I know I'm to be this person from three months. It's a fantastic feeling." - Murphy in Movieline, March 2001

"To be similar to Luanne would be such an honor. She's so pure and lovely, and I would hope in my life that I could be as pure as Luanne is. On a lighter note, I am a complete and utterly frustrated hairdresser. That's a big dream of mine." - Murphy on Luanne, her character on the animated sitcom "King of the Hill" as quoted in USA Today, July 6, 2001

"I would compare her to Edward Norton, they're both incredibly smart, highly gifted actors who are very instinctual. I don't think I've ever seen her repeat herself on-screen. And like Edward Norton, she can play a lead with ease, but also do great character work." - director Gary Fleder on Brittany Murphy, quoted in The Los Angeles Times, Sept. 9, 2001

"I'm trying to figure out the trick of working to live as opposed to living to work, but I don't know if I've quite stumbled upon it just yet." - Murphy to The New York Times, Sept. 30, 2001

"My family was so embarrassed by it, they were begging me to shut up when the neighbors were around and to speak higher so it did not sounds so demonically possessed." - Murphy on her distinctive voice in Us Weekly, Oct. 7, 2002

"I'm an entertainer. I was born one, I'll always be one, and whenever I have the chance, whether it's on the street corner or on a motion picture set, the camera or maybe a microphone will be my way to get through to people. If I can make them feel, then I think that my work is productive." - Murphy quoted in Interview magazine, December/January 2003

"I don't even take myself seriously, how could I possibly take Hollywood seriously? I take business seriously. I take work very seriously and telling the truth in my job and professionalism. But I don't think (celebrity) is supposed to be taken seriously really." - Murphy to People magazine, Aug. 4, 2004